


Promises

by TardisIsTheOnlyWayToTravel



Series: Fae Sarah [2]
Category: Labyrinth (1986)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fae & Fairies, Fluff, Magic, Marriage Proposal, Post-Movie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-27
Updated: 2014-12-27
Packaged: 2018-03-03 20:12:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,458
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2886080
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TardisIsTheOnlyWayToTravel/pseuds/TardisIsTheOnlyWayToTravel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sarah's eighteenth birthday doesn't go as well as Sarah had hoped. But the Goblin King awaits, and intends to keep the promise he made a little over two years ago.</p><p>"I ask you for the third time: stay with me, Sarah, and be my queen.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Promises

**Promises**

It was Sarah’s eighteenth birthday, and she was celebrating it by going out to dinner with her mother and her mother’s boyfriend.

Her father and Irene had wanted her to spend her birthday with them, but Sarah had insisted on spending it with her mother and Jeremy. It had been ages since she’d last seen her mother in person, instead of only hearing her voice occasionally over the phone, and Sarah had wanted to visit her.

So here she sat, in the middle of a fancy restaurant, all dressed up, and wearing her favourite jewellery and her hair pinned back.

The last time Sarah had really dressed up this had been for prom a few months ago. Made of organza and lace, with embroidery down the front and puffed sleeves, her dress had reminded Sarah of the dress she’d dreamed of wearing during her time in the Labyrinth. Jareth had been her date, glamoured to look like a boy her own age, and the two of them had drunk punch and danced together, laughing at the absurdity of the fact that the Goblin King was attending prom. It had been more fun than Sarah had expected to have. But then, Sarah found that she usually did enjoy herself, when Jareth was around. The time when she had feared him seemed long ago.

“So what do you intend to do, now that you’ve finished school?” Jeremy asked. “College? Or are you interested in following your mother’s path? I know how interested always were in acting.”

Sarah cleared her throat.

“Actually,” she said. “I’m hoping to get married.”

A strained silence fell.

“Married?” Sarah’s mother echoed. “Sarah, you’re only just eighteen!”

“I know,” said Sarah, her head held high, “but I know what I want, Mom.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” snapped her mother. “You’re not old enough to know what you want. You’ll get married and have children and find that it’s not what you what, that you’re trapped. I married and had children too young, and eventually I regretted everything–”

“Even me?” Sarah asked softly, but with steel in her voice.

“Of course not,” Jeremy tried to smooth things over, but Sarah’s mother gave a brittle laugh.

“Things were different after you were born,” said Sarah’s mother. “I love you, Sarah, of course I do, but you being born changed everything. You’re an adult. You’re old enough to understand that that life – the suburban housewife and perfect mother – just wasn’t for me.”

“I see,” said Sarah, still in that soft, quiet voice. And then she stood up, and walked out of the restaurant, while her mother went “ _Sarah!_ ” and Jeremy called to her to wait.

But Sarah continued walking until she was out of the restaurant, and stalked down the street, her heels clacking on the pavement.

So much for one last, pleasant dinner with her mother, Sarah thought furiously. She was willing to accept that her mother wasn’t really cut out for the life she and Sarah’s father had had, but to imply that it was Sarah’s fault that everything had fallen apart –

Sarah’s fists clenched, and she continued to stalk down the street, her seething fury almost enough to cover her hurt.

She and her mother had been close, once. Sarah’s mother had doted on her, showering affection on her. But the lifestyle Sarah’s mother and Jeremy shared now hadn’t really been suited to bringing up a teenage girl, and Sarah had ended up with her father and his family. It had been Sarah’s choice, but deep down, she’d known that her mother’s new life didn’t really have room for her in it except as an occasional visitor. Sarah had pretended just fine that it wasn’t the case, that her mother really did want her – right up until tonight, when her mother’s words had brought the illusion all tumbling down.

“Hey, baby, how you doing?” leered a passing guy, moving to block her path.

Sarah turned burning eyes on him, too angry and upset to handle the situation the way she usually would have.

“Get out of my way or I will turn you into something terrible,” she promised, the threat clear in her voice.

The guy recoiled as just for a moment Sarah’s fae glamour lifted and her ethereal looks were revealed, her eyes shining with power. He scrambled to get out of her way, and Sarah walked on, allowing the glamour to slip back into place.

Sarah heard footsteps behind her, and was ready to make good on her threat when a voice said, “What put you in such a mood, precious?”

Sarah stopped at once.

“Jareth,” she breathed, and turned.

Sure enough, the Goblin King was standing there, a slight smile on his face, fae glamour disguising his appearance from mortal passersby.

Sarah fell into his arms.

“Oh, Jareth,” she sighed, and realised that she was near tears. “All I wanted was a nice evening out with my mother.”

“What happened?” Jareth asked, his arms coming up to wrap around her comfortingly.

“She told me that it was my fault her marriage with Dad broke up and she left,” Sarah said. “Oh, it was implied, but that was what she meant.”

Jareth’s face darkened.

“Is that so?” he asked, and Sarah read unpleasant fates in his face.

“Don’t,” she begged. “Don’t do anything to her. Just leave her be. If I’m such a problem in her life, well, I’ll remove myself.” Sarah gave a bitter laugh, and one tear trickled down her cheek. “At this point, the High Queen is more of a mother to me than she is.”

Jareth held Sarah close, and she sighed, closing her eyes and resting her face against his shoulder.

“We were so close, once,” she said. “I just don’t know what happened. We used to be enough for her, Dad and I. And then we just… weren’t.”

Jareth stroked her hair reassuringly.

“I’m sorry that your evening was ruined, precious thing,” he said. “But your mother is a fool, to not understand what she is losing.”

Sarah gave a teary laugh.

“Yeah, well, words have consequences,” she said. “If I could learn that at fifteen, it’s about time my mother did.” She stood in Jareth’s embrace for another long moment, before she pulled back.

Jareth reluctantly let her go.

“All my things are still at their apartment,” Sarah said, wiping at her face. “But I don’t really want to go back for them. They don’t really matter, anyway – they’re only clothes and things.”

“Then let us go elsewhere,” said Jareth, and just like that, they were no longer in the city.

Not New York City, anyway. The landscape around Sarah was altogether more rustic, and undoubtedly familiar.

“We’re in Goblin City,” said Sarah, and looked at Jareth.

He took her hands.

“Sarah, my love,” he said, and Sarah knew what was coming. She held her breath. “A little over two years ago, when I offered you my heart and hand for the second time, you asked me to return when you had reached adulthood according to mortal laws. Look around you, Sarah, and see the lands I rule. I would make you my queen, Sarah, to rule these lands beside me. My heart is still yours, and never have my affections wavered. My love for you is strong and true, and always shall be. I ask you for the third time: stay with me, Sarah, and be my queen.”

Sarah’s hands tightened on his, as she looked breathlessly up into his face. Two years ago, Sarah had barely known Jareth, but in the time that had followed Sarah had gotten to know him well, to delight in his company, and at some point, to lose her heart to him.

“Yes,” Sarah breathed, smiling as widely as she could. “Yes, Jareth. I will stay here, and become your queen.”

Delight and triumph lit the Goblin King’s eyes; a happy, wicked smile curved his lips. One of his hands left Sarah’s, and moved to Sarah’s cheek. He stared into her eyes for a moment; and then he kissed her.

It was a passionate kiss, full of love and promise, and Sarah felt herself being swept away on a tide of emotion. Eventually she broke the kiss, gasping, and sought to compose herself.

Jareth looked far too pleased with himself, Sarah thought.

“I’ll still want to visit my family Above Ground, mind,” Sarah warned. “And we’re getting married in the mortal world, so that they can be there.”

“As you wish, Sarah,” said Jareth, doubtless too happy that he had her promise at last to care.

He drew her into another kiss, while around them goblins cheered, and Sarah, just for the moment, let all her other concerns float away.

 

  
 


End file.
